Adjustable elastic gripping member



p 23, 1958 E. w. ROESSLER I 2,852,779

ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC GRIPPING MEMBER Filed Jan. 12. 1955 J INVENTOR.

E llamae W Roess/er BY A T TOR/VE Y United States Patent Ofifice2,852,779 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 2,852,779 ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC GRIPPIN GMEMBER Ellamae W. Roessler, Aurora, Colo.

Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,333

1 Claim. (Cl. 2--161) The present invention relates to a device to beused when engaged in sport activities requiring the tight gripping of ashaft or handie. More particularly, this invention relates to AnAdjustable Elastic Support Member adapted for positioning about a handclosed upon the shaft of a golf club or the like to hold the palm andfingers of the wearers hand securely against the shaft during movementsof the hand and/ or shaft.

Previously, many diiferent types of gripping devices have been designedand patented, the main purpose of which was to eliminate faults in agolf swing or when stroking at a ball with a club, bat, racket or thelike. In general, all such prior devices have used at least one memberfor direct engagement with the shaft or handle. These devices do notkeep the Wearers hand firmly on the shaft or handle, and accordingly thealignment of the shaft may be changed during the course of the swing atthe ball or other object. Experience, in the field of golf particularly,has shown that a main fault of inexperienced golfers is the tendency torelease the grip on the golf club shaft by the directing hand at eitherthe top of the back swing or during the follow-through. This releasingof the grip by the directing hand (the left hand of the righthandedgolfer) has been found to be a major cause for misdirection of the balland loss of power in the swing.

In order to correct this main failing of golfers and as an aid indeveloping the proper golf swing and grip, the present inventor has beenguided by the following objectives: to provide a device for securelyholding the fingers of the participant upon the shaft or handle ofstriking members; to provide a device for the foregoing purpose whichwill not bind or encumber free movement of the wearers wrist; to providesuch a device in which the holding pressure exerted against the wearersfingers and hand is adjustable in accordance with the size of the handand other requirements; to provide a device in which an elastic memberexerts ,pressure against the fingers and hand of the wearer in order tohold such fingers and hand in fixed relative position with respect to ashaft or handle as necessary to prevent inadvertent release of the gripexerted between the palm of the hand, the fingers and such shaft orhandle. A further object of this invention is to provide a device of theforegoing type that may be conveniently and accurately positioned on agolfing glove or the like. Further objects and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the appended description and drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing showing use of the device of thisinvention on the left hand of a righthanded golfer and in which a golfclub shaft is shown in position within the palm of the closed fist ofthe golfer;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the elastic holding device of thepresent invention mounted on and attached to the back of a golfingglove; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1showing details of an adjustable clip device for use in connection wththe present invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides an elastic band orresilient member which may be stretched and secured about the fist of agolfer or other sport participant after the fist has been closedcorrectly about the handle or shaft of the striking member. Since anadjustable fastener device is provided, the pressure exerted to hold thefingers against the shaft can be regulated irrespective of the size ofthe wearers hand or decrease in the strength of the elastic. Preferablythe device of .this invention is afiixed to an ordinary glove commonlyworn when participating in golf or other sports.

Referring now to the drawings, the detailed features of the presentinvention will. become more readily apparent. In Fig. 2 it will be notedthat the invention provides a resilient member or elastic band 11 ofconsiderable Width which is connected at one end as by stitching 12 to aleather or other type anchor piece 13 which may be re movably mounted onthe back 14 of a gloove 15 as by stitching 12 or the like. The free endof the elastic band is likewise secured to a fastening support member16. The fastening device utilized in the present embodiment of theinvention includes a hook member 17 adapted for selective engagement inany of a plurality of eye members 18 mounted on the anchor piece 13.Further, a pull tab 33 is provided to facilitate fastening and releaseof the fastener members 17-18.

in the present drawings the elastic web band 11 is shown afixed to aglove is having full finger sheaths 21; however, it will be readilyapparent that the device may be mounted on a glove or gauntlet withoutfingers. Since the device will probably not be used while putting, afrog 22 has been provided, through which the free end 16 may be threadedin reverse direction to keep such free end from interfering with theswing.

It should be noted that the anchor piece 13 is secured to the back 14 ofthe glove 15 at a slight angle. This angular position of the anchorpiece 13, and consequently of the elastic band 11, with respect to theglove is made to facilitate the proper positioning of the elastic memberabout the closed fist of the wearer. This positioning of the device ismore clearly shown in Fig. l, where it will be noted that the elasticcovers the entire little finger, past the second joint of the thirdfinger and the first joint of the second finger. When used in thisposition, the elastic web member exerts a force inwardly against thesecond, third and fourth fingers to compress these fingers against theclub shaft 23 thereby holding the club shaft in the palm of the wearershand with the main pressure exerting fingers of the hand in fixedrelative positions throughout the golf swing. The first finger itself isleft in a free position, so that the golfer may use an interlocking orotherwise grip as desired.

With the fingers, hand and club shaft held in their true and correctpositions throughout the golf swing, misdirection of the club head andof the swing is minimized.

Significantly the present device prevents incorrect release of thegolfing grip at the top of the back swing and in the follow-through, andaccordingly the golfing stroke is immediately improved. However,additional advan tages have been noted through use of the presentdevice. With elimination of the tendency to release the grip the golferwill develop a stronger grip. Further, the restraint afforded by theelastic support teaches the golfer the necessity of developing increasedflexibility and power in the wrists themselves.

While the present device has been shown and described for use on theleft hand of a righthanded golfer, it is apparent a comparativestructure can be used on right hand of a left-handed golfer. Further,the main use of the device has been described in the use: in the game ofgolf, but it will be apparent to those experienced in other sports thatthe device is readily adaptable to use in the games of tennis,badminton, etc. It should further be recognized that various other typesof fastening devices could be used in connection with the presentinvention and that other features of the invention are likewiseadaptable to various modifications and changes. All such modificationsas come Within the'scope of the hereunto appended claim are deemed to bea part of this invention.

In the foregoing description and in the appended claim the termselastic, elastic member, and elastic band and resilient member have beenused to designate and describe a main element of the invention. For thepurpose of this description all such terms may be defined to includematerials and fabrics having characteristic ability to returnsubstantially to former size and shape after elongation greater than10%. Leather and fabrics made of natural fibres of Wool, cotton and thelike are specifically excluded from the above definition, together Withother materials that are stretchable but that do not exert a significantforce when elongated tending toward re-compression. Such materials areinefiective to hold the wearers hand tightly against the object beinggripped. Webbing having cords of natural or synthetic rubber inmembermay be Wrapped around the closed hand of the sports participant to holdthe hand in closed position about the handle-shaft When the saidfastener and fastener member are engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,447,328 Gerrits Aug. 17, 1948 2,522,344 Carmin Sept. 12, 19502,567,489 Lewis Sept. 11, 1951

